Does Morphine Take Away The Pain Signals With A Person

Posted on Thu, 20 Feb 2020

Question: Does Morphine take away the pain signals with a person that has Dyspnea or suffers from Cheyne Stokes respiration so if a person is suffocating they wouldn’t know it?

Answered by Dr. Dr. Jolanda (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
Yes it can be used

Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome in Ask the Doctor

Yes morphine might be use for severe dyspnea especially in cancer patients in late stages when the pain and breathlessness are severe.

In your case I need to know the diagnosis in order to give you more correct information.

Hope to have been helpful

Regards

Dr.Jolanda

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad

Follow up: Dr. Dr. Jolanda (2 hours later)

I don’t have a diagnosis or anything, I was just concerned about whether people suffocate once their breathing stops and whether morphine would make them unaware.

Answered by Dr. Dr. Jolanda (19 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Only in some specific diseases

Detailed Answer:
Hi again,

It's not that they are suffocated but the severe breathlessness gives a sensation of suffocation.

Yes, morphine helps to deprive or low this sensation which means that that is not so aware and quieter during this phase.

However, morphine is indicated only in some diseases that cause severe dyspnea.

Regards
Dr.Jolanda

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Arnab Banerjee

Follow up: Dr. Dr. Jolanda (2 hours later)

I just have one more question. When I was put to sleep at the dentist office they said I was speaking but when I woke up I didn’t remember anything or feel any type of pain. So my question is, when a person is sedated and unconscious before they die is it similar to being put to sleep at the dentist?

Answered by Dr. Dr. Jolanda (6 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Hi again

Detailed Answer:
Hi

No it's not the same. The dosage of the morphine to the dantist is so small .

Only if you are allergic to morphine might be the cause. However speaking unconscious doesn't mean that you were dying means that your body has reacted in not so common way to the morphine.

Regards

Dr.Jolanda

Note: For more detailed guidance, please consult an Internal Medicine Specialist, with your latest reports. Click here..

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Nagamani Ng